Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

This doctorate is intended for those who choose careers as a professor in teacher education programs at the collegiate level, as well as those interested in becoming master teachers, curriculum and instruction specialists, supervisory personnel, academic coordinators in school systems and educational specialists in state departments. Coursework for the major area may be taken in elementary, secondary, special or STEM education to allow for individual needs and goals. Students should address their interests at the time of application to the program. A three-credit internship is required for the doctorate. Ninety credit hours beyond a bachelor's degree or sixty credit hours beyond a master's degree are required.
If you are seeking a flexible program designed to fit your goals and needs, our Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction program is a great choice. You'll develop the necessary background and expertise for careers such as university teaching, curriculum planning, consultant work, and positions in government agencies that allow you to transform educational practices and policies.

Our program prepares students through four key doctoral competencies: teaching, writing academic publications, seeking external funding through grant opportunities, and engaging in meaningful service to the teaching profession. These competencies are essential for careers as teacher education professors.

Official transcript(s) verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree and previous graduate credit (in English or with translation). Transcripts must be complete (e.g., if currently enrolled, work-in-progress coursework must be included, foreign transcripts must include a grading scale, and for countries that issue, copy of degree certificate/diploma i.e., India, Nepal, etc.). The USD Graduate School and/or academic units retain the right to require credential evaluations from organizations, such as Educational Credential Evaluators/World Education Services (ECE/WES), for a student if such an evaluation is deemed necessary.
Completion of a master's degree and baccalaureate degree is required from an institutionally accredited institution. A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 on conferred degree and/or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all graduate coursework is required for full admission. Each graduate program may admit students on provisional status per university policy.
Applicants with degrees from countries other than the United States who have obtained a high school diploma, undergraduate, or graduate degree from an institutionally accredited American college or university or from an accredited institution in the approved list of English-speaking countries are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score. For all other applicants with degrees from other countries, a minimum score of 79 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT), 550 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), 8.5 on the TOEFL Essentials, 6.0 on the IELTS Academic, 53 on the PTE, or 110 on Duolingo is required for graduate admission.
Applicants are required to includea purpose or goal statement that outlines their career and professional goals and why they believe this degree program will help them achieve those goals.